Back To Me
by ReyaSelene
Summary: Emma Swan has been dormant and trapped inside her own mind for a year. When Hook shows up and kisses her she decides it's time to wake up. True Love's Kiss can't work if one doesn't even remember who they are, but the caged Swan is determined to make herself remember. Just a little one-shot on how I wish Captain Swan's reunion had gone.


**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Once Upon A Time or it's characters, no matter how much I wish I did.  
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**AN: So this is my first OUAT fic & I hope it doesn't completely suck. I wrote this a little while after the mid-season finale, which gave me major feels by the way, & up until now I didn't have time to read over & post it. I am so ready for it to be March 9****th**** already; reading Captain Swan fics & my shows that are just coming back from hiatus are the only things keeping me sane. Not that I was completely sane in the first place. Anyway sorry for any mistakes or typos. Let me know what you think, hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_When we live between so many walls_  
_ That I can barely breathe_  
_ You say that you just want someone_  
_ But I'm the only one you need_

_ Can't you see_  
_ I Beg and plead_  
_ Cause when your eyes light up the skies at night_  
_ I know you're gonna find your way_

_~Back To Me, The All-American Rejects_

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**Back To Me**

One Year Later…

One of the first things he notices when he sees her is that she looks happier. It pained him deeply to think that by bringing back her real memories it could take the happy ones away and bring back bad ones. But the kingdom and her parents needed her…he needed her. He kept telling himself this wasn't truly Emma Swan the Savior; this was just an echo of the woman he had come to love. The happiest part of her life, the part with Henry, was built on a foundation of fabricated memories, lies. He had kept his word over the past year; thinking of her every day and trying to come up with a way to get back to her. His heart flipped at the sight of her; the multitude of sketches he had created in her likeness all paled in comparison to seeing her face to face. It hurt when his kiss didn't bring back her memories…and not just because she kneed him. He was disappointed, but he couldn't lose hope.

Over the past year his friendship with David had grown, despite Dave's initial reluctance, sharing drinks and stories. Before he had left the charming royal recounted a time when Snow had lost her memories and true love's kiss had not worked. He remembered David's knowing smile at his own shocked expression, followed by a stern warning that if he hurt his daughter he would lose his remaining hand. Now Charming's story gave him hope that he could bring Emma back. After his Swan slammed the door in his face, he walked a few paced before resting against the wall and sliding down to the floor for a moment to recover from the low blow and to try to come up with a new plan.

* * *

Little did Hook know was that just by seeing him he awakened the part of her that had been buried and trapped by false memories since she crossed the Storybrooke town line, her true self and memories. The Savior beat against the walls of her mind that she was trapped in. The moment Killian had shown up she had woken up, but the currently dominate part of her brain that had been altered by Regina's magic was still oblivious to her. Emma had stopped calling him Hook in her head, using his given name; not that she had said so out loud. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but she figured it was around the time he had come back for her and volunteered to go back to a place he hated or when he helped save her father and son or maybe all their moments in Neverland or their parting exchange right before she fled Pan's curse. Emma was long passed denying that she hadn't wanted to kiss him that day, and now thinking back she wishes she had.

Right now she wanted to open the door back up and find out why and how he was here. If she could she would demand to know what danger was now attacking her family. Emma wanted to tell him that she had missed him, even his innuendos, and remembered him, but her body wouldn't obey. That stubborn part of her refused to stop clinging to this safe, happy life, with just her and Henry. However, Emma knew that she could have and had had a happy life with not just her son but with her parents and Killian. Her mind drifted to their first kiss and how right it felt kissing him despite being on that godforsaken island. And in that moment she realized that she, Emma Swan, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, was in love with Captain Hook. Had she control of her body she would've laughed at the absurdity of that statement. Emma had been scared to even admit to feeling that way before; her track record with men wasn't the greatest when it came to really caring about them. But she wasn't afraid anymore and with that thought Emma focused on that love and her memories of him, and beat against the mental cage harder.

* * *

She sat across from Henry silently pushing the food around her plate; lost in thoughts about the strange man at the door. It wasn't until Henry excused himself that she realized that she hadn't actually eaten any of her breakfast. She shook her head and resolved to expel the man from her mind and eat. A feat that proved impossible when she raised her fork to her lips and couldn't help noticing that she could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers, she could still taste him. She's shocked by the strength of the urge to kiss the handsome but possibly crazy stranger again and by the ridiculous notion that she already had kissed him before. She tries to reason with herself, tries to come up with a logical answer as to why despite never seeing him before she feels like she knows him.

Eventually, she finds her body moving on autopilot, heading to the door…towards him. She briefly wonders if he's still out there, but as she stares at the little coat hook on the door a voice from somewhere deep in her mind tells her that of course he would be. Choosing to ignore the fact that she was indeed hearing a voice, no matter how much it sounded like her own, she opened the door and stepped into the hall. True to the voice's word, he's there, sitting a little ways away and slumped against the wall seemingly in deep thought. When he notices her he stands and her eyes meet his ocean blue ones. He looks ready to speak, but before he can she's smashing her lips to his; nearly catching him as off-guard as he had her earlier.

* * *

This time the true Emma Swan breaks free of the magic and her memories come rushing back. Neither of them notices or feel the white pulse of magic, there is only each other. "Hook," she manages to get out once she breaks away from him to catch her breath. Pulling away, he takes a moment to look into her eyes to confirm that she's really back. When he's satisfied with what he sees, Hook smiles and laughs before kissing her again; this time with a bit more fervor. After a few moments they parted for air, their foreheads touching, simply breathing in each other's presence. Emma was the one to break the silence, "You found me. You came back for me." She opened up her eyes to find him already looking at her, his intense blue eyes piercing hers with a genuine smile on his face in place of his usual smirk, "Aye, nothing in all the realms could keep me from you, love."

Emma smiled back at him, her grin only faltering as she struggled to find the right words she wanted to say, "I want to tell you something. I need to tell you. I was scared before to say it before or even admit to it, but I'm not anymore. Killian, I…" Hook's breath hitched slightly at the sound of his given name on her lips and he interrupted her confession with a quick but passionate kiss. "Say my name again, love," it had been so long since anyone had called him by his name and coming from her it was even better. Emma would have been annoyed at the interruption had it not been for the pure joy that sparkled in her pirate's eyes. She settled for rolling her eyes before growing serious, "Killian Jones, I love you." He was speechless for a moment, simply taking in her face. The captain briefly wondered if he was dreaming. His smile grew impossibly large as he brushed some hair behind her ear, "Gods, I love you, Emma." They leaned in for another kiss, but Henry came rushing out of the apartment, "Mom! Mom! You'll never believe…"

Her son stopped short at the scene in front of him; Killian and Emma pressed close together. For a moment Emma was scared at what he would think, but her fears dissipated when Henry began smiling, "True love's kiss. That's why I remember now." The boy surprised both of them, especially Hook, by embracing them both. "Come on, let's go inside," Emma smiled as she led her boys towards the apartment entrance. Once they were in, she left them in the living room to change. The thought that all of this had gone down while she was still in her pajamas was a little embarrassing, but she doubted that either of them had noticed. When she returned Henry was talking excitedly with her Killian. She sat next to him and his hand found hers while he explained to the pair what was going on in the Enchanted Forest with her family. At the end of his talk Emma stood and dragged her boys up with her, "Well then, let's go stop the Wicked Witch."

Hook began leading them to his ship while Emma wondered if she'd ever stop being amused by some of the ridiculous things she's thought or said since finding out that fairytales were real. She vaguely remembered complaining about never having a day of being the savior, but she had a year off and she could honestly say that she had kind of missed it. Emma focused her eyes on the man next to her; they were still holding hands, almost like if they let go the other would disappear again. She squeezed his hand causing him to look over at her and smile, "After this is all over, you're taking me on a date and we're going to have some of that fun you once mentioned." His smirk reappeared at her words, "As you wish, love."


End file.
